Conservative intellectuals and key executives from five political parties were among the thousands who gathered in Tokyo on April 17 to rally against granting foreign residents voting rights for local elections.

On hand were Financial Services Minister Shizuka Kamei, who heads Kokumin Shinto (People's New Party), Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Tadamori Oshima, former trade minister Takeo Hiranuma, who recently launched his own political party, Tachiagare Nippon (Sunrise Party of Japan), and Your Party leader Yoshimi Watanabe.

According to the organizer, 10,257 people attended the convention at the Nippon Budokan arena in Chiyoda Ward, including representatives of prefectural assemblies and citizens from across the nation.

Oshima, the LDP's No. 2, promised that "in the name of protecting the nation's sovereignty" the largest opposition party would do everything in its power to prevent such a bill from being enacted.

The Japan Times